A stable boy, spruce and smart in his holiday attire, met them with a broom in his hand, and followed them.

In the shed there were five horses in their separate stalls, and Vronsky knew that his chief rival, Gladiator, a very tall chestnut horse, had been brought there, and must be standing among them.

Even more than his mare, Vronsky longed to see Gladiator, whom he had never seen.